Shonda Rhimes teams up with ‘Bridgerton’ author for prequel book

The book will publish in tandem with the upcoming Netflix prequel series focusing on Queen Charlotte.

The “Bridgerton” universe continues to grow. The popular Netflix series from Shonda Rhimes is currently in production for its first prequel show, and now that story is set to get a literary adaptation, according to various media accounts.

As “Bridgerton” fans very well know, the popular Netflix series is adapted from the Julia Quinn romance novel series featuring the family of the title. Each book in the period series follows a different member of the Bridgeton family as he or she falls in love. As theGrio previously reported, in addition to more seasons of the popular series, a prequel show following fan-favorite character, Queen Charlotte, is also underway. The literary adaptation is set to accompany the new series.

Described as a “collaborative novel,” the book will be written by Quinn and the head of Shondaland herself, Shonda Rhimes, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Following the rise of Queen Charlotte, the story will show “how the young Queen’s marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift, creating the world of the ton (high society during the regency era of Great Britain) inherited by the characters in “Bridgerton.”

Actor Golda Rosheuvel in a scene from “Bridgerton”
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte in a scene from “Bridgerton.” (Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2022)

In a statement accompanying the announcement, Rhimes said, “Queen Charlotte has been such a moving character to write and now having the opportunity to work with Julia to adapt this story into a book is such an exciting opportunity. I can’t wait for fans of this universe to read the story of a character that has resonated so deeply with our audience.”

“Taking ‘Bridgerton from book to screen was fascinating for me to watch, and it’s such an exciting challenge for me to take it in the other direction, this time crafting Shonda’s brilliant vision into a novel,” Quinn said in a statement. “I’m especially thrilled to have the opportunity to write about Queen Charlotte, who was not in the original novels. Her character — and Golda Rosheuvel’s brilliant portrayal of her — was a tour de force, and I think readers will love getting a chance to know her more deeply.”

2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones - Arrivals
Shonda Rhimes and Julia Quinn, author of the popular Bridgerton series of romance novels, will cowrite a novel about the Queen Charlotte character featured on the Netflix series, “Bridgerton.” The queen’s character, which does not appear in the romance novel series, will also be the first prequel to “Bridgerton” and will air on Netflix, too. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

The book will publish alongside the prequel series on Netflix under the imprint of William Morrow Group at HarperCollins, Avon Books. In addition to the prequel series, the third season of “Bridgerton” is also on the way, this time focusing on the love story between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington.

The second season, which aired earlier this year on the streamer, was a smash hit, at the time breaking all-time ratings records.

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